Top Ten Tuesday: Top Then Books on my Fall TBR List

I really need to get back into reading. And I usually do come autumn/ winter time. Nothing better than a good book, cup of tea all sunngled up in a blanket! Books I'm aiming to get through during Autumn are: 

1. The Hygge Holiday - Rosie Blake

2. I Found You - Lisa Jewell

3. One of Us is Lying - Karen M. McManus

4. The Secret - Katrina Diamond

5. The Chalkpit - Elly Griffiths

6. The Most Dangerous Place on Earth - Lindsey Lee Johnson

7. Fellside - M.R. Carey

8. Am I Normal Yet? - Holly Bourne

9. Searching for a Silver Lining - Miranda Dickinson

10. The Graces - Laure Eve

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by broke and bookish.

Christmas In St Ives && Team Sparkly

I was very lucky to become a member of #TeamSparkly to help spread news about author Miranda Dickinson new christmas novella. It was all a much kept secret with bloggers and book fanatics tweeting about team sparkly and surprise to come.

That surpise was annouced last night - Christmas in St Ives is the new novella by Miranda.

It's due out next month, 19th October in e-book only.

What's super cracking about it (besides the stunning cover) is it's also a prequel to the next book called Somwhere Beyond the Sea which is due out in 2018. 

Check out the fantastic cover below and go pre-order. This is not a story to be missed! 

Pre-order from Amazon UK & follow Miranda on twitter @wurdsmyth

Lookies, i got a badge to show i'm an official #TeamSparkly member..

It's amazing && there will be many more tweets to come about this great story! Keep an eye out.

Caraval

Title: Caraval
Author: Stephanie Garber
Type: Hardback
Read: 20th August - 23rd August 2017
Rating: 5/5
Published: 31st January 2017 by Hodder & Stauton

Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or a performance. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world . . . 

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.
But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.
Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

I have no idea how you even pronounce Caraval. But I wanted to be a part of it. It sounds so magical and amazing. The deathly part is a little freaky but I guess I could deal with it if I had to. This book had such amazing hype when it came out. I got so caught up in it. When released in hardback, the book has a hidden cover under the dust jacket. But then they decided to release like five different covers all hidden. So unless your super cheeky and looking through them, its a surprise at what you got. Mine was a tophat. It's pretty awesome.
 
Scarlett and Tella are two sisters who live on a remote island with their abusive father. Tella would do anything to escape and Scarlett believes marrying a count of whom she's never met will be their ticket out of there. Scarlett has been writing to Master Legend begging for his performers and Caraval to come to their island for years. Sending one final letter informing him that she is geting married and therefore doesn't belive in Caraval she finally gets a reply with three tickets included. But to go would surely mean the wrath of her father. Tella doesn't care. With a salior who has recently ported on the island, they manage to kidnap Scarlett and take her to the Legends private island where the game truely begins.

Not everything you see or hear is real. People are always out to trick you. But what happens when the game suddenly feels and becomes too real. Tella is kidnaped and Scarlett has a duty to find her along with many other people for the prize of a life time. A wish.

I loved the whole attention to detail in this book. I loved the feel of the magic floating around the story and Scarletts desire to find her sister. But is her mind playing tricks. How has her father managed to get onto the island as well. And can she really trust Julian. It's all so very exciting.

There are only five days to the game. Everything comes alive at night and you must be in your room when the sun comes up. Trying to work out the clues makes the book so much more fun. Caraval seems like a magical game with many twists and turns. Once you start thinking you get it, something changes your mind.

I am still confused on the ending and I hope this is cleared up in the next book. But Caraval is truely an enchanting fantasy to be told. 

Go Get it From: Amazon UK | Book Depository | Waterstones | Wordery
Follow @SGarberGirl

 

 

The Silvered Heart

Title: The Silvered Heart
Author: Katherine Clements
Type: Paperback
Read: 1st August - 19th August 2017
Rating: 4/5
Published: 2015 by Headline Review

1648. Orphaned heiress Lady Katherine Ferrers is forced into marriage for the sake of family honour... But with Cromwell's army bringing England to its knees, her fortune is the real prize her husband desires. As her marriage becomes a prison and her privileged world crumbles, Katherine meets her match in Rafe - a lover who will lead her into a dangerous new way of life where the threat of death lurks at every turn...

Enter Kate Ferrers, highwaywoman, the Wicked Lady of legend - brought gloriously to life in this tale of infatuation, betrayal and survival.

 I requested a copy of this book from bookbridgr - it seemed slightly different to what i would usually read and I figured i'd branch out. It's seemed every historic and I would usually struggle with these types of books. However I really enjoyed this one.

Lady Katherine who grew up in a world of privilge is to be wed to Thomas. A youngman whom she has not seen since she was a child. If only to ensure her place in the world and keep what is rightly hers. However when war starts out, althought married it is anything but a privilged life Kate leads. Along with her trusted maidservent Rachel, they learn to live in a world far from that she grew up in. With a husband who is constantly away and whom is only interested in getting a heir, Kate learns to live with the little she has. Until things change...

Rafe who is Rachels' brother teaches Kate some ways of the world, ways to obtain what is not yours to help you survive. They made a fantastic pair and I was so routing for them throughout.

The book is too sad, it has moments where friendships are tested and lives lost. It tests the faithfullness of servents and familes. I enjoyed it as although at first Kate could be very demanding to the point of being a spoilt child, she grew up, found herself and decided her own path, her own future, which was pretty much forbiden then.

An enchanting tale. 

Go Get it From: Amazon UK | Book Depository | Waterstones | Wordery
Follow @KL_Clements

 

The Hunt

Title: The Hunt
Author: T.J. Lebbon
Type: Paperback
Read: 18h July - 1st August 2017
Rating: 4/5
Published: 16th July 2015 by Avon

Escape and they’ll kill your family.
The cruellest game. The highest stakes. Only she can bring his family back alive …Rose is the one that got away. She was the prey in a human trophy hunt organised by an elite secret organisation for super-rich clients seeking a unique thrill. She paid a terrible price. Every moment since she has been planning her revenge … And now her day has come. Chris returns from his morning run to find his wife and children missing and a stranger in his kitchen.
He’s told to run.
If he’s caught and killed, his family go free. If he escapes, they die. Rose is the only one who can help him, but Rose only has her sights on one conclusion. For her, Chris is bait. But The Trail have not forgotten the woman who tried to outwit them. The Trail want Rose. The hunters want Chris’s corpse. Rose wants revenge, and Chris just wants his family back.
The hunt is on …

Fast paced and additive book. This has been sitting on my shelf for ages before i decided to read it.

Chris returns home from his usual morning run to find a stranger in his home and no sign of his wife and two daughters. All he is told is to wait further instructions. But to escape his family will be killed.

It's a story of how much you will do for your family, how the will to survive must surely count for something. This book is packed with everything. It's full of action, drama and a hunt.

Rose, was the one who escaped. She's decided she wants to help Chris, or is she using him as bait. Together they must keep Chris alive as long as he is being hunted and work out how to save his family and bring those who kill to justice.

I enjoyed the book, it was addictive and i think they made a TV show of it? 

Go Get it From: Amazon UK | Book Depository | Waterstones
Follow @timlebbon 

 

Concert: Paw Patrol Live

Show: Paw Patrol Live

Tour: Race to the Rescue

Location: Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham

Date: 12th August 2017

 

So as much as I love theater, shows and concerts, I love nothing more than to take family to see them. Especially the children as I want to them to experience the wonders of shows at a younger age. So my treat to two of my neices and nephews was to take them to see Paw Patrol Live. These two, one aged five and the other two are big fans of the show. My niece is all for pup Everest and my nephew changes between Chase and Rubble. So when Ryder and the gang came to town, I had to be the ool aunty and take them.

We had the 1.30pm showing on a saturday, they were doing three shows each of the two days they were in Birmingham. I don't think the show was as much a sell out as I expected it to be. But then perhaps the earlier or later show might have been. The show was split into two halfs. For children, I think this is a must. You can't keep a childs attention too long if you go on forever. So each half with a fiftteen minute interval was approx half an hour. 

Ryder came out and introduced all the pups, Marshall, Rocky, Rubble, Chase, Skye and Zuma. We don't see Everst until a little into the show. The kids love it as they sing the theme tune and they dance. The show is all about the Great Adventure Bay Race. But when Mayor Goodway goes missing, the pups are called for to find her and get to the finish line. Along the way we meet the naughty Mayor Humdigger who, with his evil cats, try to throw the pups off the scent. 

The children are encouraged to get up and dance and were also encouraged to shout out to help the pups find the three clues, to help them work out where the finishing line was. It prety much takes a tour of the whole TV show, from the look out to Seal Island and to Jakes Mountain.The kids loved it from start to finish.

It was a really fun show. I think time wise was enough for children, it kept their attention and they enjoyed singing and dancing along. Merchandise was very expensive and I think unless children really loved the show was possibly a waste of money. But many did queue for them. There were also many children dressed up as their favourite pups throughought. We seen quite a few Marshalls and Chase's and many Skye's. 

A brilliant show for children and some adults alike! 

"Paw Patrol is on a Roll"

Get to know the girl behind the blog..

It's my birthday and I figured I'd do a get to know the girl behind the blog thingy to celebrate....

A) What's your name? 
I'm known as Rachel, but will often be found online under the name Smelleykins - a nickname given to me forever ago.

B) Where in the world are you blogging from? 
Birmingham, UK

C) How did you get into blogging in the first place? 
Not a clue. I originally started a book "blog" over on Tumblr and then forgot it. Then figured I'd put my book reading to some use and tried many sites to blog on before settling on Blogger.

D) How did you come up with your blog name?
Well I'm little (only 3ft8"), I'm a girl and I read. So Little Miss Reads is pretty apt for me.

E) What genre do you read and review most on your blog?
I don't think I read any one particular genre of book. I'm very open to reading anything in sight. If I had to say one it's probably fiction. I'm pretty clueless on genres though. If its a book and holds my attention. I'll read it.

F) What other types of posts, do you post on your blog, apart from reviews?
My other main love is concerts or musicals. I love love love them so much. I've seen probably been to over 70 shows. I just love the moment and I'm starting to add these to the blog. If anything just for my own memories.

G) Best blogging experience so far?
Doing the cover reveals & being part of book tours. I love reading other peoples comments and just generally the book fandom overall.

H) Name 5 books you want to read this 2017, that you didn't in previous years?
Les Miserables (the sheer size scares me!) is the main one. We're half way through 2017 and I really don't think I'll get through it though. I would just love to make a dent in my TBR pile though.

I) Which book boy or girl, would be your BFF?
Without a doubt Cath from Fangirl. Just reading that book made me relate to her so much. I loved the character alot. The book is fantastic.

J) Apart from reading, what are your other hobbies and interests?
I just love my musicals and concerts. It's the total opposite to reading. It's loud and full on. Reading is my escape from everything. Concerts allow me to go la la and still fit in.

K) What would your dream library look like?
Doesn't everyone who watches 'Beauty & The Beast' just want a library like that which Beast offers Belle? I really would love that, but then I'd feel bad not reading all the books there and I think books should be read. So probably something as lovely but on a smaller scale.

L) What are your three favourite books?
Oh gosh. This is hard because I read such a varied range of books that I never have too many favourites. I think i can guarentee that Wonder by R.J. Palico is my all time favourite. A book has never made me cry or relate to so much in such a powerful way. I think then Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and finally, Thirty Nothing by Lisa Jewell.

M) Which authors have you met?
I've only met Rainbow Rowell before and I was so useless. I didn't have a clue what to say or anything. I'm such an awkward person. I've also met Gok Wan when I went to his book signing with a friend and I tried to meet Ant & Dec for theres but got kicked out because I refused to buy the book again when I originally called up checking haha!

N) Have you always been a reader, if not what got you into reading?
Yes and No. I remember reading a lot when I was younger and then again during secondary school. I'd always have a book around but never comitted as much time as I do now to read. I got back into it a few years ago due to girls at work suggesting I read 'The Help' and I've never looked back.

O) What book(s) do you wish you'd read sooner?
Harry Potter. I never read them until two years ago? I think I only brought the books because it was black friday sales on amazon and they were going pretty cheap for the boxset. I put off reading them once I'd got them, because I'd never read a series before, let alone one with 7 books. But I commited to reading them and they blew me away. I just wished I'd read them before I went to Harry Potter World in Flordia so I'd have appreciated it more. I did then do a maraton of watching the films back to back and went to the studio tour afterwards.

P) Favourite reading snack?
I don't have one. I think as long as I've got a cup of tea or a bottle of water I'm happy. I don't like getting pages dirty with food and I get distracted easily so no food for me.

Q) Can you read multiple books at once?
 Nope. Not properly anyways. People who do amaze me. Like how do you not get sucked into one story and then are able to jump into another at the same time. My mind would be overloaded.

R) Books are better than movies right?
Sometimes. It depends how much they stray from the actual storyline. I think the HP movies were great, they did miss parts out from the books though - just little bits but they meant something. Then I watched another film where I prefered the film as I couldn't get into the book. So most of the time yes, but keep true to the book.

S) Favourite book quote?
"Though she be but little, she is fierce..."

T) What Hogwarts house are you?
Hufflepuff. I was never sure which one I belonged in, even when reading the books. But when I took the pottermore quiz, I was placed in Hufflepuff and upon reading about it etc... it's a very fitting house for me. I am a total Hufflepuff.

U) Dream Job? 
Well I never ever wanted to work in an office and I've been working in an office doing accounts for 14 years!! I like what I do. I do want to do something else, but I'm ueless at studying something in depth. So my dream job would be to do somethig with Photographt. I'm the girl who constnatly has her camera out. I love taking pictures and would love to be able to improve on the quality of them and actually understand what the heck my camera can do.

V) Favourite concert or musical seen?
 Musical is between - Me & My Girl or Wicked. They are very different to each other but were both absoultely amazing. As for concert, I'm most likely expected to say Steps as I'm such a huge fan of them. I think the Ultimate tour is certainly one of my all time favourites, I think probably my favourite concert is Shania Twain. I was utterly excited when I managed to get 7th row tickets and I even got her autograph on my program that night!

W) Actor and Actress, and the film you like most they are in?
Hands down my most adored actress is Sandra Bullock. We share the same birthday but I've loved her ever since I tourtured myself watching Speed many years ago. The film I love most of hers is between 'All About Steve' and 'While you were Sleeping'.
Actor is either Hugh Grant or Tom Hanks. We'll go with Tom Hanks for this and the best film is 'Sleepless in Seattle' which i took a few years ago my nana to see in the cinema. I'm a sucker for a romance.

X) Author you would like to meet?
I'm a huge fan of Cecelia Ahern and Lisa Jewell. I think I would freak out if I ever got a chace to meet them. Their books have given me so much joy over the years that I can go back to re-reading them and still feel the same.

Y) Dream destination?
I did my ultimate goal of going to NYC a few years ago. It was everything I dreamed of and a whole lot more. I would love to one day travel all 50 states. Do a big fly drive holiday. But I need a lottery win for that. I think my favourite destinations are where I can enjoy the culture, relax and spend times with family.

Z) I ran out of questions but I hope you enjoyed the above. I'm off to eat lotsa of cake.. I got two for my birthday!!